New agreement between City of Regina and FSIN aims to end racism

City of Regina and the FSIN sign memorandum of understanding on the elimination of racism throughout our ancestral lands/province. It commits city of Regina to provide educational initiatives for all staff and elected officials on the history of Treaty, residential schools and the inherent rights of indigenous people.

City of Regina Mayor Michael Fougere (centre) and FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron (second from left) smile at each other after signing a memorandum of understanding on the elimination of racism Tuesday at the First Nations University of Canada. Chief Roger Redman (second from right), Chief Michael Starr (far left) and Chief Alvin Francis (far right) also signed the MOU. JENNIFER ACKERMAN / Regina Leader-Post

It was a historic day for the City of Regina as Mayor Michael Fougere promised to more actively address the issue of racism in Saskatchewan.

The first of its kind in Regina, a memorandum of understanding titled the Elimination of Racism throughout our Ancestral Lands/Province was signed Tuesday by Mayor Fougere on behalf of the city. Chief Bobby Cameron signed on behalf of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.

The agreement commits the city to providing education for all staff and elected officials on Treaty history, residential schools and the inherent rights of indigenous people. It was signed on Treaty 4 territory at First Nations University of Canada.

“It’s about working together. It’s about respecting one another. Don’t we all want to be accepted for who we are and what we are? I know I do,” said Cameron after the signing ceremony. Cameron said the agreement is about working together to create a good quality of life for everyone no matter what their culture or religion may be.

“This is a very important formalized step to say that we acknowledge there are issues related to indigenous peoples in our city … and we’re dealing with those at the local level here. Particularly, education of our staff and of Regina residents in general,” said Fougere.

In a press release distributed Tuesday, the city acknowledged the agreement is not only a step towards eliminating racism, but also a way to honour the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action. The agreement was generated by the FSIN to make sure the language used in it reflected the culture and beliefs of indigenous people.

“We want to honour their view of how they see the world — how they see Regina and Saskatchewan,” said Fougere. He said the agreement is a way to rebuild relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous people and expressed hope that people can learn from the mistakes of the past and move forward to build a city that everyone can benefit from. Cameron said the fact the city consulted the FSIN on the language of the agreement shows a lot of respect.

The agreement will not only help educate those who work for the city and build relationships, but also sets a good example for youth, said Cameron.

“Those that are watching the news tonight or tomorrow morning or that are reading the news, they’re going to say ‘Hey, the First Nations and non-First Nations are doing it. There’s validity to this agreement,” said Cameron. “Walk the walk, talk the talk, very important to do.”

According to Cameron, the FSIN hopes to have more agreements signed across the province, but that education awareness for children is even more important.

“Every one of us are born into this world with an innocent mind and spirit, and what we’re saying is that (racism) is a learned behaviour and it can be unlearned,” said Cameron. Fougere expressed the same sentiment, saying education can go a long way towards combating racism.

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Market to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.